Adjustable sofa-bed provided with frame locking means



y 1953 J. M. POKORNY ETAL 2,840,830

ADJUSTABLE SOFA-BED PROVIDED WITH FRAME LOCKING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1953 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y I 2/ 2 I w 3/ 232 32 30 7/ 72 69 o 0 a 69 7a 75 5/ 27 0 Z 2 L53 5 65 Z5 INVENTORS John M. Poker-n 39 Eozuls foluorny, Jr.

AT ORNE J. M. POKORNY ET AL 2,840,830 ADJUSTABLE SOFA-BED PROVIDED WITH FRAME LOCKING MEANS July 1,1958

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTORS John Polcorny Health? .Pokgrn ATTORNE:

Filed Sept. 25. 1953 y 1958 J. M. POKORNY ET AL 2,840,

ADJUSTABLE SOFA-BED PROVIDED WITH FRAME LOCKING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1953 s Shets-Sheet s 11133 1 01607 Mwf ATTORN Y uncomfortable.

hold: the frame sections in 1, not desirable.

United States ADJUSTABLE SOFA-BED PROVIDED WITH FRAME LOCKING MEANS John M. Pokorny and Louis Pokorny, Jr., Ronkonkoma, N. Y., assignors of one-third to John M. iohorny, iieii port, one-third to Louis Pokorny, In, and one-third to Louis Pokorny, both of 'Ronkonkoma, N. Y.

islil ilich fioh-spfembl' 25,1?53, Serial N0. 332,237 4 Claims. (Cl. 5-13) constructions therein disclosed include a frame foldable into and out ofa sofa body to define, respectively, a sofa a bed, the frame comprising a plurality of articulated'sections, atleast't'wo'of which must be held in a particular relative disposition, preferably in parallelism, in order that the frame may be properly folded into and out of the sofa body. When the frame is completely unfolded, in its bed defining position, the articulated sections are in substantially horizontal alignment with one another. A mattress is associated with the frame in such a way that it lies flat on the extended frame when the structure is opened to define a bed, and doubles upon itself'when the frame is folded to define a sofa.

In folding the parts into sofa-defining relationship, a probler'nis sometimes encountered during the final stage of adjustment, because any tendency of the lower and upper horizontai sections to separate from each other makes it diificult to maneuver the folded-up frame into the final lowered position. In that position the rear part lies beneath the upholstered back of the sofa, and if the.

frame elements are not properly compacted the upholstery maybe damaged. The difficulty is aggravated by. the concurrent desirable objective touse a relatively thick "mattressandtokeep the sofa' seat relatively low. The mattresstends tospreadtheupper'and lower frame sections and the bulge'not only makes it more difficult to manipulate the frame-properly but makes the sofa seat r cumbersome strapping operations, to

proper compacted relation, are

his a pr'incipal object of the present invention to obviate this 'difficulty by providing'a sofa-bed of the type described in which at least a pair of the articulated frame "sections are antomaticallyinterengaged and held in a particiilar rel-ativedisposition when the frame is moved between itsfolded position in the sofa body and a forwardly raised intermediate position out of the sofa body. The

a'utomaticme'chanism is so designed that the frame sections are freely movablewithrespect to each other when the frame is moved between the intermediate position and itsfully 'unfolded position. That is, the pair of frame sectionsare automatically locked inthe required relative disposition only during'the phase of frame movement adjacent tothe foldedposition, and are automatically unlocked strengths phase of frame. movement adjacent tothe fully unfolded position. In this way an operator isxenabled to effect folding and unfolding of frame with Lr'nu'chm greater easeand assurance, and without danger of mishap. i I

2,840,830 A Patented July 1, 1958 inc A more specific object of the invention is to provide a sofa-bed which is durable in construction andrelia'ble in operation and in which the required elements are relatively simple in design, low in cost, and few in number.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention two toggle links are connected between a pair of the=framesections, and a means is provided in association with one of the frame sections for movements into and out of'engagement with one of the toggle links for locking the latter against opening whenithe frame, during the folding thereof, reaches an intermediate position of movement.

A preferred way of achieving these general ojects and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter'appear or be pointed out, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view showing a sofa-bed frame cornstructed in accordance with the present invention, the sofa-bed body being shown in dot-and-dash outline;

Figure 2 is a horizontal, enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line Z-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view similar to Figure 1, the sofabed frame being shown inan initial stage of its unfolding movement;

' Figure 4 is an end view-similar to Figure 1, but on a larger scale, showing the sofa-bed frame in its forwardly raised intermedia'te position of unfolding movement;

Figure-5 is ahoiizonta'lcross sectional view taken on line 5''5 of Figure 4; g A Figure 6 is an end view similar to Figure 4, showing the sofa-bed frame entering the final phase of its unfolding movement;

the sofa-bed frame Figure 7 is an'end view similar to Figurel showing in its completely unfoldedposition; and p Figure 8 is a partial top plan'view'of Figure 7.

Before entering upon a detailed description of the present invention, the device as a whole will be briefly described. The device is shown in Figure 1 in its closed or folded position to define a sofa, the sofa body 10 being represented in dot-and-dash lines. When fully opened (Figures 7 and 8) the device defines a bed, the frame of which is made up of four substantially horizontal aligned sections. I v

in ciosed or folded position these four-sections assume a compacted relationship; and forfacility iii-terminology,

"the sections will be given descriptiveappellations based upon their respective dispositionsin the closed position.

'Thus, section 2%, which is nearest the back of thesofa line members, while the rearverticalsection 2.0, is angular, having an arm 21 pivotally articulated at 22 to a fixed angulariy disposed supporting bar 33 secured to the sofa body iii. Thelower end of the rear vertical 1 section 26 is pivoted, as at -25, to the rear end ofthe-lower horizontal section 24. The forward end-of section '24 is pivoted, at Ztshto the lower end of the front vertic'al sec- *tion 27,"the upper end of which is pivoted, at 31, to

the front end of the upper horizontal section 30. The

parts at), 2'7 and 3% have-been spoken of as sections rather than mere members because each section has only, the companion parts at the near end of the sofa I .The elements forming sections 20, 24, 27 and 39 are preferably angle irons, and are provided with well-known flanges or other suitable stop means to limit unfolding movement to the aligned relationship. Extending trans- .versely across the device at suitable intervals are crossbars, such as those shown at 23 and 32 re 8) to hold the parts of each section together as a structural unit. Also extending transversely across the device is a bed spring 26 (Figure 8) adapted to support a mattress 12 (shown in dot-and-dash lines in Figures 1, 3 and 7 The spring may be supported in any well-known manner between the opposite members of the frame sections. The mattress 12 is retained in folded condition within the frame when thelatter is in its folded position.

During the initial stage ofunfolding frame movement the rear vertical section swings forwardly about the pin 22, the lower horizontal section 24 moves upwardly and forwardly out of the sofa body, and the upper horizontal section remains in parallel spaced relation to the lower 7 horizontal section 24 (Figure 3). At the completion of this stage of unfolding movement the parts assume the forward raised intermediate'position indicated in Figure .4. A reverse movement of the frame takes place during the final stage of adjustment of the parts from the bed de- .fining condition to the sofa defining condition. 7

In order to support the frame during'these folding and .unfoldingmovements an elevator arm or lever is in terposed between thesofa body and the lower horizontal section 24. (Actually there are two such elevator arms, one at each end of the sofa, but for the sake of simplicity of description and illustration reference will be made to only one arm, and the same applies to the mechanism with which it cooperates.) i

,. The lever 35 is somewhat S-shaped, having transversely extending arms 36 and 37 at its opposite ends respectively. The lever 35 is pivoted (at the angle part of arm 36) to a fixed part of the sofa body by means of a pivot pin 38. In this way the lever 35 is mounted for rotative movement about thepin 38 as an axis. It moves between the lowermost position shown in Figure 1 and the uppermost position shown in Figures 4, 6 and 7, and in the right hand 'dot-and-dash position shown in Figure 3. The dot-and-dash position at the left of Figure 3 is an intermediate position. I V g V Extending rearwardly from the free end of lever arm 36 into an anchorage with the sofa bed at 39 is a coiled tension spring 40. This spring is in a stressed condition y when the parts are in the relationships of Figures 1 and 4, and it is in its least stressed condition when the parts are in the relationship of Figure 3. I facilitates both the unfolding and the folding manipulations. This spring is well-known per se and forms no special part of the present invention. It is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 7.

V The upper arm 37 of the lever 35 is bifurcated, as may be best observed in Figure 5. The inner part is angled inwardly toward the section 24 and is pivotally connected to the latter by a pivotpin 42. The outer part is shown as a separately fabricated piece welded to the lever 35. It has a side opening or notch 46 in alignment with the pivot pin 42. The part 45 may thus be seen to be substantially hook-shaped, the opening of the hook facing upwards when the frame is in its intermediate position as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

j l Before describing the special function and mode of operation of the hook-shaped part 45, brief reference will be made to someof the other parts of the mechanism Thus the spring t together at their adjacent ends. The links 50, 51 are adapted to open the toggle as shown in Figure 7 when the frame is unfolded, and to collapse together into the relationship shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 6 when the frame is folded to bring the upper and lower horizontal sections 365 and 24 into parallel relation.

Fixedly secured to and extending forwardly beyond the front vertical section 27 is a plate 60. A leg 61 has its upper end pivoted to the plate 60, and is provided at its lower end with a ground-engaging caster 63. Pivotally connected to the leg 61 at 64 is a control link 65. The rear end of the control link 65 is pivoted to the toggle link 50 at 66, whereby movement of the toggle link will effect turning of the leg 61. That is, when the upper and lower horizontal sections 30 and 24 are in parallelism, the toggle links 50 and 51 are in their relatively closed position and the leg 61 is disposed alongside of the front vertical section 27, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. However, when the upper and lower horizontal sections move out of their parallel relationship, the toggle links 50 and 51 move toward their open position, so that when the frame is in unfolded position, as seen in Figure 7, the leg 61 depends vertically from the front vertical section 27 and provides support therefor.

Extending across the front of the sofa is a front board 69. It is automatically moved downwardly and forward- 1y, to get it out of the way, when the frame is unfolded (compare Figures 1 and 7). This is achieved by providing a forward extension 67 on the control link 65 and pivoted to the front board, and an adjacent constraining link 70 between the leg 61 and the front board 69.

Pivoted to the upper horizontal section 30 at 71 is a leg 72. The leg 72 is formed With an extension 73 and a link 75 is pivotally connected to the front vertical section 27 and to the angular extension 73, whereby the leg 72 is rotated about the pivot 71 upon unfolding movement of the upper horizontal section with respect to the front vertical section. As seen in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the leg 72 is disposed substantially parallel to the upper horizontal section 30 when the frame is in folded condition and when the upper horizontal section 30 is unfolded with respect to the front vertical section 27 the link 75 will effect rotative movement of the leg 72 about the pin 71 so that the leg will assume a vertically depending position when the frame is unfolded, as seen in Figure 7.

The automatic locking of the parts is achieved in the present construction by providing on one of the toggle links 50, 51 a special lock or part which is so positioned that it seats itself within the hook-shaped notch 46 when the frame (during the folding thereof) reaches the intermediate position shown in Figure 4. More particularly, it will be observed that the toggle. link 50 is provided with a part 52 extending beyond the pivot or pin 55 connecting the links 50, 51 at their adjacent ends. At the end of the extenson 52 there is provided a transverse lug 53 adapted freely to seat andunseat itself in the notch 46 when the frame is in the intermediate position of Figure 4.

The point of pivotal connection between the lever 35 and the sofa body, i. e., the pivot 38, is so located that when the frame moves from the intermediate position of Figure 4 through the position of Figure 3 to the fully folded sofa position of Figure 1 the hook 46 moves to engage firmly with the lug 53 and thus lock the lug against disengagement. This prevents any movement of the toggle link 50 into opening position, and thus effectively locks the'upper and lower horizontal sections 30 and 24 in the parallel relationship they have assumed.

On the other hand, during the unfolding manipulations of the frame, the upper horizontal section 30 is freely 'movable out of the intermediateposition of Figure 4 (see It will be understood that changes in any of the details herein described and illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sofa-bed, a sofa body, a frame foldable into said body to define a sofa and unfoldable out of said body to define a bed, said frame comprising sections including an upper horizontal section, a front vertical section, and a lower horizontal section, said sections being in substantial alignment when the frame is in unfolded position, the upper and lower horizontal sections being in parallelism 7 during movement of the frame between its folded position and a forwardly raised intermediate position, a lever pivoted to said lower horizontal section and to said sofa body for supporting said frame during unfolding movement thereof, a pair of toggle links pivotally connected to each other and having their outer ends pivotally connected to said upper and lower horizontal sections respectively, a lug on one of said toggle links, said lug being so positioned that it lies in axial alignment with the pivot connecting said lever to said lower horizontal section when said frame is in said intermediate position, and means on said lever for receiving said lug when said frame is in said intermediate position, said means being movable with said lever upon continued folding movement of said frame beyond said intermediate position to lock said lug and hence said toggle links against movement, thereby locking said upper and lower horizontal sections in parallelism during movements of the frame between said intermediate and folded positions.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means comprises a hook fixedly secured to said lever, said hook opening upwards to receive said lug when said frame is in said intermediate position and rotatable about said lug upon continued folding movement of said frame.

3. In a sofa-bed, a sofa body, a frame foldable into said body to define a sofa and unfoldable out of said body to define a bed, said frame comprising pivotally connected sections including upper and lower horizontal sections that are in substantially horizontal alignment when the frame is fully unfolded and lie in superposed proximity when the frame is folded and during movement of the frame between its fully folded position and an intermediate forwardly raised position, a pair of toggle links pivotally connected to each other and having their outer ends pivotally connected to said upper and lower horizontal sections respectively, said toggle links being adapted to open when the frame is unfolded and to collapse together when the frame is folded, a iever pivotally interposed between said sofa body and said lower horizontal section, a lug on one of said toggle links, and a hook-shaped member rigidly secured to and carried by said lever in a position to receive said lug when the frame reaches said intermediate position during the folding of the frame, the pivot connection of said lever to the sofa 'body being so located that as the frame during the folding thereof moves between the intermediate and the fully folded positions said hook-shaped member moves to retain its engagement with said lug and prevent disengagement thereof thereby retaining said upper and lower horizontal sections in said superposed proximity.

4. In a sofa-bed, a sofa body, a frame folda-ble into said body to define a sofa and unfoldable out of said body to define a bed, said frame comprising pivotally connected sections including upper and lower horizontal sections that are in substantially horizontal alignment when the frame is fully unfolded and lie in superposed proximity when the frame is folded and during movements of the frame between its fully folded position and an intermediate forwardly raised position, a pair of toggle links pivotally connected to each other and having their outer ends pivotally connected to said upper and lower horizontal sections respectively, said toggle links being adapted to open When the frame is unfolded and to collapse together when the frame is folded, a lever pivotally interposed between said sofa body and said lower horizontal section, a hook-shaped member rigidly secured to and carried by said lever adjacent to the end which is pivoted to the lower horizontal section, the eye of the hook being aligned with said last-mentioned pivot, the hook opening upward when the frame is in the intermediate position, and a lug carried by one of said toggle links in a location to enter said hook when the frame reaches said intermediate position during the folding of the frame, whereby said hook rotates coaxially about said lug to prevent disengagement thereof as the frame during the folding thereof moves between the intermediate and the fully folded positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,127,874 Dyke Feb. 9, 1915 1,179,203 Holst et a1. Apr. 11, 1916 2,445,241 Pokorny et al July 13, 1948 2,576,062 Bebry Nov. 20, 1951 2,595,038 Woller Apr. 29, 1952 2,642,583 Bank et al June 23, 1953 

